Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention (ATOP)
Officers, Board of Advisors, UN Representatives, Interns & Volunteers 2024

Board of Directors:

Founder and President: Dr. Ani Kalayjian
Vice President: Andrew Dolinar, M. A.
Senior Adviser: Johnanne Winchester
Research Adviser: Loren Toussaint, Ph.D.
Treasurer: Upuli Ranaweera, M.B.A.

Intern Coordinator: Annika Jawanda, B.S.

Board of Advisors:

1. Stace Wills, the Strongest Oak Foundation, Calgary, AB, Canada
2. Aurel Mocanu, Str. Scarlat Varnav, Romania
3. Dr. Anthony Marsella, Professor, University of Hawaii, Hawaii
4. Dr. Beth Hedva, Calgary, Canada
5. Dr. Grace Feuerverger, Toronto, Canada
6. Dr. Arman Vardanyan, M.D., Mental Health Foundation, Armenia
7. Dr. Brigitte Khouri, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
8. Dr. Evelin Linder, Humiliation Studies, Teachers College
9. Dr. Alma Polo, Iberoamericana University, Mexico City, M.X.
10. David Shapiro M.A., Founding President of Alliance for PTSD Recovery
11. Grant J. Rich, Ph.D.
12. Dan Moody, Global Peace Partners, Virginia, V.A.
13. Loren Toussaint, Ph.D. Department of Psychology Luther College, Decorah, I.A. 52101
14. Johnanne Winchester. United Nations Communications Committee

Coordinators:

United Nations Coordinator: Dr. Kalayjian
Ombudsperson: Natalia Maria Tomassini, M.Ed., L.D.T.C.

Other Departments:

Social Media Committee: Ani Minasian

Outreach Coordinator:

Listserve: Narod Taslakdjian

Administrator: David Kryzhanovskiy

Website: Ani Minasian

ATOP Meaningfulworld Fellows:

Sowmya Kshtriya, M.S. A.B.D. Past Fellow

Paulina Sipilian, M.S. Past Fellow

Interns at United Nations:

Education Coordinator: Nairy Bzdigian, B.A.

Support Group Facilitator: Ryna (Karine) Arshakyan, B.A.

ATOP Meaningfulworld Volunteers: Mary Ryan Garcia, Silya Koroglu, Lisa Schiller, Harry Milian, & David Dawud

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Dr. Ani Kalayjian, Founder, and President

Dr. Kalayjian, Founder & President of the Association for Trauma Outreach & Prevention, Meaningfulworld, is a graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University with Masters and Doctoral Degrees, and Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from LIU. Currently, she is a Graduate Adj. Psychology faculty in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College Mind-Body- Spirit Dept., and in Private Integrative Healing Practice. She has been consulting at UN since 1988 as representative of a variety of organizations, currently representing ATOP Meaningfulworld, and ACRPC. She has been the Vice President of UN NGO DPI Executive Committee, Treasurer of the Human Rights Committee, Corresponding Secretary, & Currently Vice Chair of the Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns, Chair of Annual DPI NGO Conf. and organized 4-6 annual conferences at the UN on Prevention of Genocide, Mind-body-eco- spirit health, engendering inner peace and forgiveness, & dignity for all. She is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, Fellow of several Divisions at APA, Chair, Health, Transformation & Spirituality, Working Group of UN CSVGC, President, Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide, Chair of APA International Division’s Disaster Mitigation and Violence Prevention Committee, and Women’s Committee. She has received Alumni of the Year Award from TC Columbia University, ANA Human Rights Award, APA Div 52 Mentoring Award, and Humanitarian Award from the University of Missouri. She is the author of an internationally acclaimed book on Disaster & Mass Trauma, Chief Editor of an international book on Forgiveness & Reconciliation: Psychological pathways to conflict transformation and peace building (Springer Publishing), Chief Editor of II Volumes on Emotional Healing around the World: Rituals and practices for resilience and meaning-making (Greenwood, ABC-CLIO, 2010), meditation CD on Ancestral Healing and Transforming Generational Trauma, as well as 7 films on Humanitarian Outreach Programs to Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, RD Congo, Sierra Leone, Armenia, and Haiti. She also authored, Forget Me Not: 7 Steps for Healing our Body, Mind, Spirit, and Mother Earth (2018), A Journey of Empowerment, Healing and Transformation (2023). Dr. Kalayjian, is a distinguished healer. With over three decades of experience spanning 50+ countries and 26 states, her and her organizations integration of flower remedies has received accolades, including the FES Flower Essence Practitioner Certificate. Directors Drs. Katz and Kaminki recognize her and ATOP MeaningfulWorld are commitment to core soul-healing principles, aligning with the FLOWER ESSENCE SOCIETY. She received 2024 American Psychological Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Kalayjian’s transformative healing practices encompass emotional awareness, forgiveness, compassion, and holistic growth, transcending personal boundaries to embrace the social, ecological, and spiritual dimensions. Her outstanding contributions have garnered numerous awards and she is an accomplished author and filmmaker, enriching lives worldwide.

Johnanne Winchester, Senior Advisor

Johnanne Winchester is a former Vice President of International Alliances for the Communications Coordination Committee for the United Nations. In her professional capacity as a media producer and communications consultant, she develops communications applications and technical solutions for International Organizational Development. As a systems architect, she collaborates with professional colleagues and artists, designing model strategies for branding, public relations, education, training, and inter-active mass participation in media based communications platforms in all formats.  Her primary Global and Planetary focus is International Alliances of Networks, and co-operative joint venture systems in: Education, Financing and Training for Sustainable Development; Peace and Multi-Cultural Education; and Innovation Management Training. She has worked in the UN Community since 1979, consulting in the founding of the UN ICT (Information Communication Technology) Task Force and other UN Media outreach programs. Since 2003, she has been based part-time in China and the Asia-Pacific region, developing programs with UNDP, UNESCO, various International Chambers of Commerce, and affiliated organizations. Currently serving on the Boards of the Tri-State Chapter of Citizens for Global Solutions, and the Lawfare Project, she is also on the Development Committee, and a special adviser to the Executive Director, of the former UN International Year of Planet Earth, now the Earth Science Matters Foundation. As a program of the Planet Earth Roundtable, she is currently developing a Resilient Communities Program to synthesize the range of issues including Earth Changes, Financial and Economic Systems Transformation, and training programs directed at Mayors and local governing councils and activist/advocates for disaster prediction, remediation, and adaptation. Ms. Winchester has been appointed as the Senior Advisor and United Nations Representative to ATOP Meaningfulworld.

Loren Toussaint Advisor

Dr. Loren Toussaint is an associate professor in the department of psychology at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He has served as a visiting scientist at Mayo Clinic and is currently associate director of the Sierra Leone Forgiveness Project. The main objective of Dr. Toussaint’s research is to broadly understand religious and spiritual factors, especially forgiveness, and how they are related to mental and physical health and well-being. He has published a number of peer-reviewed scientific journal articles and scientific book chapters, and authored dozens of conference presentations and invited talks in Australia, Austria, Great Britain, Greece, and the United States. Dr. Toussaint has been involved in forgiveness research in Australia, Chile, Germany, India, Korea, Lithuania, Spain, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Switzerland. Dr. Toussaint has worked with colleagues at Mayo Clinic and the University of Michigan Medical Center to understand the role of forgiveness in fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, spinal cord injury, and substance use. He continues to seek new avenues in which to better understand and incorporate forgiveness in medicine. Another central piece of his work has been ongoing since 2007 when he began a Peace Through Forgiveness initiative in collaboration with colleagues at Stanford University and the Dele-Peddle International school in Sierra Leone. Dr. Toussaint directs the Laboratory for the Investigation of Mind, Body, and Spirit at Luther College, and has mentored over 50 students studying in this laboratory. Several of these students have been co-authors on peer-reviewed research papers and presentations. Recently the lab was awarded funding from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest for a project titled, A Collaborative Scholarship Model for Liberal Arts Colleges: Applications for the Psychology of Forgiveness. This work involves the collaboration of laboratories at Luther and Grinnell Colleges to investigate psycho-spiritual approaches to promoting forgiveness. Dr. Toussaint’s research has been highlighted in a number of print, online, and radio media outlets such as: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Des Moines Register, Greater Good, Miller-McCune, Ladies Home Journal, Scotland on Sunday, Men’s Health, Psychology Today, and the Associated Press.

Stace Wills, Board of Directors

Stace is a social entrepreneur with a life-long passion for international development, language and culture, and technology. Prior to launching TSO, Stace served as co-founder and Global Director of Fire and Ice – an award-winning Corporate Social Responsibility program of one of the world’s leading educational technology firms, Elluminate Inc. (now Blackboard Inc.). Under Fire and Ice, Stace successfully managed over 30 social development projects in collaborative education, poverty reduction, and climate change, involving over 5000 participants from 25+ countries.  He has also pioneered several online training programs targeting nurses and teachers in remote regions, as well as facilitated thousands of dollars in donations of computer technology and internet connectivity to economically-challenged communities in Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Burkina Faso, Rwanda, and Kenya. Stace’s projects have been recognized with several awards, including finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Awards in 2008, and 2007 Laureate for the Tech Museum Award (Microsoft Education Category).  His Fire and Ice initiative helped Elluminate be named as one of the Top Ten Best Corporations in Global Development by InterAction in 2008. In 2009-10, Stace co-launched a distance training initiative for remote nurses in West Africa, a project in which Stace’s partner, Jules Ouedraogo, was recently awarded the AGFUND International 2010 Prize. Stace has been featured by international media including CNN.com, The Financial Post, Education Week, CBC, CTV and others. He speaks French, as well as some Spanish and Polish, and is learning Kinyarwanda. Stace received his Canadian Investment Management (CIM) designation in 1998, and a Bachelor of Commerce degree (International Marketing specialization) from the University of Calgary in 1991, where he was named to the Beta Gamma Sigma honor. 

David Shapiro, M.A.

 Founding President of Alliance for PTSD Recovery (aptsdr.org), B.A. cum laude Chemistry, Carleton College; M.A. Philosophy, M.I.U.; co-author of two studies related to the TM program on PTSD and refugees published in Journal of Traumatic Stress (April, 2013; February, 2014), and a third study on PTSD in students published in Psychological Reports (February, 2019). He has authored hundreds of popular articles on PTSD recovery published around the world. His two non-profit charities provide support for PTSD Relief to 100’s of thousands of people in over 20 nations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. He has designed and managed social change and wellness projects ranging from local clinics to national ballot access programs. He has participated in 40-year specialized study and practice of the Transcendental Meditation program. Founding President of PTSD Relief Now Corporation (PTSDReliefNow.org) and its African PTSD Relief projects. He has been collaborating with Meaningful World in humanitarian missions in Uganda and Armenia since 2024.

Grant J. Rich, Ph.D. 

Dr. Rich has 25 years’ experience in managing organizations/projects in APA divisions/state government/academe. He was 2024 President of APA’s Society for Media Psychology and Technology, and past Editor of International Psychology Bulletin, receiving its President’s Award for Extraordinary Service. Dr. Rich received American University of Phnom Penh’s Academic Service Award, was twice a NEH Fellow (Black/Indigenous Resistance), is an honored listee in Marquis Who’s Who, and received ICP’s 2023 Frances Mullen Award for Distinguished Contributions to International Psychology. He was recently elected as Representative to APA Council. Dr. Rich has published 300 scholarly works (articles/chapters/reviews) in journals including American Psychologist, J. Positive Psychology, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment, and Trauma, Trauma Psychology News, and Professional Psychology. Dr. Rich is lead editor of 11 books, including Human Strengths and Resilience: Developmental, cross-cultural, and international perspectives; Psychosocial experiences and adjustment of migrants; Pathfinders in International Psychology; Internationalizing the Teaching of Psychology; Psychology in Southeast Asia; Psychology in Oceania and the Caribbean; and Handbook of Media Psychology. He’s co-editor of Springer’s book series International and Cultural Psychology. Dr. Rich has served on 12 editorial boards (e.g., Traumatology/ Peace & Conflict/ PLOS One) and offered 110 professional presentations (including APA/AERA/AAA/APS/IAAP/ICP), from Africa/Australia/Europe to Mexico/USA/South America/Caribbean/Middle East. He’s written the foreword to the book In pursuit of impact: Trauma and resilience informed policy development and currently has a solo book in contract on trauma and resilience in international context. Dr. Rich has an abiding interest in global education, with publications focused on diversifying psychology education, and 20 years’ experience teaching courses in psychology/trauma/resilience/culture/child development in the USA/abroad, including South and Southeast Asia and Alaska. He recently coauthored the 2023 article Global Mental Health for Oxford Bibliographies and serves as Senior Contributing faculty at Walden University. A licensed social worker, he’s served on medical missions internationally.  Dr. Rich is also a licensed and nationally certified massage therapist and served an elected term on the national board of NCBTMB, the massage therapy certification organization. He’s published peer-reviewed articles, chapters, and a book on mental health impacts of massage therapy and has served as massage therapist on missions to Haiti/Caribbean, Central/South America, and the Middle East.

Upuli Ranaweera, M.B.A., Treasurer

Ms. Ranaweera has completed her studies in Business Administration with a Masters Degree from Sri Lanka and professional Marketing qualification in UK. She has worked in many top organizations in Sri Lanka and has experience in office administration in USA. Currently working as an Assistant General Manager in hospitality industry. She was involved in social services in Sri Lanka through Lions Club and other local social services organizations. She joined ATOP Meaningfulworld journey as a volunteer in 2005 during a post Tsunami humanitarian mission.She is the Treasurer for ATOP Meaningfulworld for the last 15 years. She received the 2024 Peace Medal, in honor of her 15 year service to MeaningfulWorld.

Andrew Dolinar, M.A. Vice President for Development

Andrew Dolinar holds a Masters in Arts degree in Human Rights Studies from Columbia University and a B.A. in Sociology from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has worked as a research manager in a variety of private and academic organizations, with a particular interest in novel treatments for PTSD. Previously, he has also worked in various non-profits, notably on crisis response and conflict monitoring at Human Rights Watch in New York and sentencing reform at Penal Reform International in Tbilisi, Georgia. Andrew is proud to serve as ATOP MeaningfulWorld’s Vice President for Development! MeaningfulWorld welcomes Andrew as a Vice President for Development.

Natalia Maria Tomassini, M.Ed., LDTC, Ombudsperson

Natalia is a certified Learning Disabilities Teacher’s Consultant, Education Diagnostician in New Jersey worked in the field of education as a teacher. Natalia also has a graduate training as a psychotherapist. Natalia worked in the criminal justice system and in the field of addictions providing therapy to incarcerated individuals and provided educational testing to incarcerated individuals to determine learning disabilities. She received a master’s degree from Temple University and attended Kean University and earned a post graduate certification in Education Supervision. Natalia’s interest in ATOP, MeaningfulWorld’s mind-body spirit approach to healing led her to complete MeaningfulWorld’s Humanitarian Training Program, and the Teacher’s training program in Trauma Psychology. Natalia volunteered at Meaningfulworld Annual Garden-Gratitude & Healing and pre-holiday fund raising party as a Reiki Master. Natalia is a well-rounded person who lives with passion. Natalia attended training in Reconciliation Leadership with Virginia Swain founder and director of the Institute of Global Leadership. She is a member of Queen Mother’s New Future Foundation. Natalia’s hobbies include creative writing and poetry. Her poetry was put to music by sound therapist, Angelo Rizzo, of Healing Sound Experience “Beyond Shadows to Light.” She is Meaningfulworld Ombudsperson. MeaningfulWorld welcomes Natalia as a Fellow at United Nations.

Rina (Karine) Arshakyan, B.A., Support Group Facilitator

Rina Arshakyan was born in Armenia and immigrated to the U.S.  in 2001. She is actively involved in the practice and promotion of various techniques geared towards personal and spiritual growth. From her roots in art therapy and life coaching to holistic healing and meditation, her work with all age groups spans over three decades and includes international workshops, holistic retreats and online and in person art therapy /neurographica group and individual sessions. Rina has been a regular member of intensive retreats and “expeditions” with Wim Hoff (Iceman), Dr. Joe Dispenza, “A Year of Miracle” with Dr. Sue Morter and others. In addition to her professional work, she is also a mother to four daughters all of whom are successful artists in the world of music and visual arts. Rina’s hobbies include dancing, collecting vases and jars from different countries, traveling, hiking, biking, cooking, and making home remedies. Rina believes that one day humanity will become more conscious and soulful thus making the world a better place for all. Meaningfulworld welcomes Rina.

Lida Asilyan, M.Ed. Grant Coordinator and Research Assistant

Lida Asilyan is an early-career education professional from Ijevan, Armenia, with experience in education coordination, oral history research, and human rights documentation. In 2025 she completed her master’s degree in education policy and analysis at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she focused on global and comparative education and examined how education systems can respond to trauma, conflict, and displacement. Lida has worked with the U.S. State Department–funded programs supporting students from Armenia’s border regions, contributed to documentation efforts with the Center for Truth and Justice and the University Network for Human Rights, and collaborated with the Rerooted Archive on oral history preservation. These experiences have shaped her commitment to rethinking how history education in Armenia can support identity development, critical thinking, and collective healing. At ATOP MeaningfulWorld, Lida serves as Grant Coordinator and Research Assistant, where she supports fundraising efforts, contributes to peace and healing-focused research, and assists in proposal writing and program development. She is also engaged in a short-term initiative with the Information Systems Agency of Armenia, helping launch an education policy blog and Community of Practice that connects local and diaspora experts. Outside of her work, Lida enjoys hiking, photography, and writing – creative outlets that help her process and reflect. She continues to explore her next steps in both research and practice, with the longer-term goal of contributing to education reform in Armenia. MeaningfulWorld welcomes Lida!

Nairy Bzdigian, B.A., Educational Coordinator

Nairy is a first-year master’s student in Anthropology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She was born and raised in Anjar, a small Armenian town in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. Growing up in the diaspora, she was deeply engaged in conversations about identity and belonging. In 2021, she moved to Yerevan, Armenia to pursue her undergraduate degree in English and Communications. For her capstone project, she used an autoethnographic approach to explore how Lebanese-Armenian youth construct the idea of homeland and how those perceptions shift or grow when visiting Armenia. At Teachers College, Nairy is focusing on the cultural and social dimensions of education. Her research will compare how the Armenian Genocide is taught in schools across the diaspora and in Armenia. Besides her academic passions and work, Nairy enjoys trying new cuisines, reading, writing, and running. Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology. She joined MeaningfulWorld as an Education Coordinator, where she will assist in planning and facilitation of monthly clinical workshops. MeaningfulWorld welcomes Nairy.

Gamze Sen, B.A., Assistant Research Coordinator

Gamze Sen is a first-year master’s student in Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Istanbul Medipol University in Turkey and is an Integral Somatic Psychology (ISP) practitioner with multiple body-mind-centered certifications. For the past two years, Gamze has been working as a research assistant and moderator, focusing on mindfulness, body awareness, trauma, pain, and dissociation. She has also published several psychological columns in the United Nations-affiliated Turkish Journal. Her research interests explore how potentially traumatic events, at both individual and cumulative levels, impact emotional regulation and resilience through a body-mind perspective. Gamze aims to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology to deepen her work in this field. Gamze is passionate about contributing meaningful changes to human well-being through research and clinical practice. She joined ATOP MeaningfulWorld as an Assistant Research Coordinator, where she supports research initiatives, publications, and program development. Welcome Gamze to our team.

David Krzyzhanovskiy, Outreach Intern and Admin Assistant

David Kryzhanovskiy is currently attending the University of Connecticut pursuing a bachelor’s degree, majoring in health sciences. Upon graduation David hopes to attend medical school to pursue a medical degree. He is involved in volunteer work with the Red Cross and has volunteered at NYU Langone Hospital in Long Island. Having Armenian roots, he is interested in helping Armenians who have been subjected to injustice. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies, and playing sports. David is excited to join ATOP MeaningfulWorld team and help contribute to the mission. MeaningfulWorld welcomes David as an intern joining the Outreach Committee and providing administrative assistance.

Bashayar (Singapore) is a psychology post bachelorette student passionate about mental health, research, and social impact. She is in a Postgraduate Diploma program in Counselling Psychology at the College of Allied Educators and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Murdoch University. Bashayar serves as a Publication Committee Member and Roster Lead with the Psychology Coalition at the United Nations (PCUN), contributing to global advocacy and psychology-informed publications, and volunteers in mental health research with the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Singapore, supporting studies across diverse populations. A published writer and filmmaker, Bashayar explores themes of resilience, inner turmoil, and hope among youth, including directing a mental health micro-film emphasizing community support for individuals in crisis. She brings an interdisciplinary perspective that integrates research, advocacy, and creative expression to advance MeaningfulWorld’s mission. MeaningfulWorld welcomes Bashayar!

Ani Minasian, M.S. Website Support & Social Media

Ani has a master’s in science degree in applied chemistry from Aleppo University and undergraduate studies in Armenian literature. She has extensive experience in Quality control and Assurance. In addition, she is a representative and project manager for companies with quality teams. Ani is passionate in community service and volunteering her time at Armenian Relief Society, which is a humanitarian international organization taking care of woman and children in need. She is loyal, honest, personable, with great work ethic, and committed to a job well done. Ani is certified in digital marketing, business, and communication skills. MeaningfulWorld welcomes Ani for website support.

 

Narod Taslakdjian, Fundraising & Outreach Intern

Narod is an undergraduate at the University of Toronto double-majoring in Psychology and Nutritional Sciences. Her interests center on child and adolescent mental health, eating disorders, and trauma-informed care. She is certified by the Canadian Red Cross in Psychological First Aid (Self-Care and Caring for Others). On campus, Narod mentors students registered with Accessibility Services. Beyond campus, she volunteers as a frontline crisis responder with Kids Help Phone’s national text/chat line, providing immediate support to youth across Canada. She has also tutored Syrian refugees in Lebanon. At SickKids, Narod gained experience in the SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) program, where she learned the importance of trauma-informed care and sensitivity when supporting vulnerable children and families. As Director of Philanthropy for Kappa Kappa Gamma, she has organized fundraisers for youth mental health initiatives. MeaningfulWorld warmly welcomes Narod to the team as a Fundraising Intern.